


What I Really Meant to Say

by LazyDaizy



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: AU, Angst, Break Up, F/M, Famous!Betty, Fluff, Oneshot, Reconciliation, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-10 15:33:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12914862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazyDaizy/pseuds/LazyDaizy
Summary: Betty gets discovered on YouTube after posting a video of her singing to Jughead. She becomes an instant success and as her career goes into high gear, their relationship started to suffer and not wanting Jughead to get lost in her shadow and his dreams dying while following her around, she decides to end their relationship. They bump into each other in Riverdale when she is home on vacation and old feelings roar to the surface. Is it too late for them to get their happily ever after?





	What I Really Meant to Say

**Author's Note:**

> Song Featured: What I Really Meant to Say by Cyndi Thomson

Jughead tried to ignore that fact that his heart started racing the moment he saw her. Betty Cooper, the love of his life, still as beautiful and stunning as she had always been. Even more it seemed, as her life now required her to look flawless at all times in case there were cameras around. Even though he thought she always looked flawless. And she did look every inch the star she was, even here on the streets of Riverdale. Her white sweater dress clung to her body, outlining every curve that he knew so well and coming to a stop mid thigh. The deep V neckline dipped between her breasts but laced up and showing only a hint of cleavage. Her high heeled tan boots that stopped above her knees. 

She was looking at the ground as she walked, not really paying any attention or noticing that she was coming closer to him. Part of him wanted to quickly duck back into the store he had just come out of, but that part that missed her every single day selfishly wanted a few moments with her.

“Hey you,” he said softly when she was within earshot. Betty’s head flew up and her steps faltered when she saw him. His heart ached at the sad look in her eyes, and even more so at the spark of joy he saw in them at seeing him before it quickly vanished.

“Jug…Jughead,” she stuttered. “Hi.” He smiled and stepped closer to her. She smiled almost shyly and stepped in to give him a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and maybe he did hold her longer than was necessary but he didn’t care. Her arms hugged him close and when he moved to stepped back, she gave an extra squeeze and then pulled away.

“How have you been?” he asked softly. 

“Just fine,” she said with a smile. “I’m doing good Juggie.” Her use of his nickname made his heart twist. Old habits died hard he guessed.

“I didn’t know you were coming home to Riverdale,” he said, shifting on his feet. Her green eyes held his and he swallowed under her soft gaze. She was so fucking beautiful still, he could hardly breathe.

“Yeah, it was – it was last minute. I got in last night. Polly is home for a visit and my mom thought it would be good if I could come home for a couple days so it wouldn’t be another year before I saw her again,” Betty said with a sad laugh. Jughead nodded in understanding. “So how are you?” she asked. He thought he saw her lip tremble but she managed to pull it together so quickly he figured he imagined it.

“I’m doing alright. Working on my book.”

“I heard you had a publisher interested,” Betty said happily. “I’m so happy for you Jug.” Jughead wondered how she had heard. He wondered if she was like him, always looking for any kind of news that involved her. He had google on his phone set to send him any notifications when her name came up and he followed her on all her social media accounts, even the fan pages. Jughead was a glutton for punishment, and no matter how much it hurt, he just couldn’t let himself leave her behind and move on with his life.

“Yeah, finally made something of myself,” he said with a laugh. Betty smiled sadly at him.

“You always were something Jug, and I knew you would succeed. I always knew it.” 

“Yeah, thank you for always supporting me Betts,” he said quietly, his hand itching to touch her face. He saw her swallow at his use of the nickname and he guessed old habits died hard with him too. 

“So, anything big coming up for you?” he asked.

“Yes actually. I’ll be singing at the Billboards in a couple of months. I’m not sure what song yet, but probably something off the new album. You’ll watch, right?” she asked nervously, biting her lip.

“I always do,” Jughead said with a smile. “I wouldn’t miss it.” 

“Okay,” she said, almost in a whisper. “Well, I guess I should get going….”

“It was really good to see you,” Jughead said softly. This time he didn’t imagine the tremble in her lips.

“Yeah it was,” she said, the sadness in her voice breaking his heart. “Here’s hoping it won’t be another year before it happens again, right?”

“Yeah, right,” he smiled. He leaned in and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek, then turned and walked away.

 

Betty watched him walk away and felt like her heart was once again breaking into a million pieces. She missed him every single day and the last year without him by her side had been the hardest year of her life. Ever since they were kids, he had always been by her side and ever since they were 15, he had been in her heart. Her life had always included Jughead Jones and now she was doing it alone and it hurt so fucking bad she couldn’t stand it. She wiped at the tear that slipped down her cheek with a shaking hand as he turned the corner and disappeared from sight. Betty hurried on, suddenly eager to get back to her parent’s house and away from any prying eyes that might spot her. 

“Hey honey, how was your stroll?” Alice asked when she walked back in the house. “Did you….” Her voice trailed off when she saw Betty’s face. “Betty, what’s wrong?” she asked quickly, hurrying over to the trembling young woman. Betty shook her head, her eyes filled with tears and took a deep breath. She went to the kitchen and got herself a glass of water. Alice watched her, a sad look on her face.

“You saw him, didn’t you?” she asked softly. Betty took another sip and didn’t say anything. “Elizabeth..…”

“Mom please, can we just not do this?” she asked in a whisper. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine, Betty,” Alice insisted.

“I’m fine!” Betty snapped and left the kitchen. Alice watched her go, a sad smile on her face. No, her daughter was definitely not fine because she was still completely in love with Jughead Jones.

 

Betty got to her bedroom that still looked like it did when she was 16. She kicked off her boots and dropped onto the bed and curled up, hugging her pillow to her chest. Her phone buzzed and she picked it up and saw the headline on her fan page.

**Singing sensation Betty Cooper set to sing at this year’s Billboard Music Awards.**

Betty sighed and laid the phone down. Singing sensation. Even now, after 3 years, it still sounded strange to her. She rolled onto her back and glanced at the window. The window that Jughead had climbed through all those years ago and kissed her for the first time. The bed she lay on, where they had lost their virginity to each other when her parents had gone away for a weekend. The chair in the corner where she had sat while Polly had made a video of her singing a song for Jughead’s 19th birthday. He had an aversion to birthdays and every year she had tried to make something special and meaningful that just the two of them could enjoy.

Jughead had been so in love with the video that he had posted it on YouTube for the world to see. He told her that everyone should know how beautifully she could sing. The video had gone viral and a month after he had uploaded the video she had gotten a call from a music producer. At first her and Jughead had laughed and thought someone was playing a joke on them, but when the calls kept coming and actual airline tickets showed up in the mail with an invite to come to New York, they had been baffled. Since they had always wanted to see New York, they had packed a bag and had gone, and even if nothing happened, they would get to see the big city.

As it turned out, it hadn’t been a joke and within two months, her first single had hit the charts and had raced straight to the top spot in less than a month. She had been an overnight success. The first year had been a whirlwind of nonstop talk shows, radio programs, music festivals, special tv appearances; everything that came with instant success. She had clung to Jughead’s hand the entire way, not letting him away from her side. They were a package deal she had said to her handlers. He went where she went. It had been exciting and new and they had eaten it up eagerly. They got to see the world together and Jughead had been so proud of her. He had known everyone would love her and he was so proud that she had been his because she had become everyone’s fantasy, but she belonged to him.

The second year had been TV specials, tour dates all over the world, and dozens of awards. It started to take its toll. The excitement started to fade and in its place exhaustion and loneliness. They were always surrounded by people, but they were people they didn’t know and who didn’t know them. She had Jughead and he had her, but they started to miss their family and friends. Betty had watched as Jughead started to retreat into himself. He retreated into the shadows and watched, holding her when he needed to, keeping her grounded, always where she could see him, making sure she was alright, but the light in his eyes slowly faded and she knew he longed for the quiet life they once shared. 

The gossip columns had also started in on them. At first they had been the darlings of the music world. The beautiful Betty Cooper and her long time supportive handsome boyfriend who never left her side. They were the ‘it’ couple and were mobbed by fans everywhere they went. Going out in public and daring to not be smiling at all times made the vicious rumor mill run 24/7. When the rumors started Betty had laughed. This was what all celebrities went through she had told him. It was part of fame. You had to weather the storm of the bullshit people printed. When they would be caught looking serious or upset by the paparazzi people would always assume the worst. Soon the rumor started. Was there trouble in paradise? 

Jughead had gone out to grab Betty lunch one day while she was at a photo shoot and Polly, who had been there on a visit, had gone with him. They had been photographed laughing and looking at pictures of her twins on her phone and the internet had gone into a frenzy. Was Jughead Jones cheating on his girlfriend with her sister? He had been furious and no amount of denial stopped the rumor until her sister had married Jason a few months later. The heavy schedule had Betty exhausted and whenever they went out and were caught not smiling, the trouble in paradise rumors kept on. If it wasn’t her being photographed with someone and was the one cheating, it was Jughead and it all started to take it’s ugly toll on them.

It had all fallen apart in a beautiful hotel room in Paris.

Betty felt her eyes fill with tears as she remembered that night…….

 

_“All I’m saying is that you need to take a break Betty! Ask for some time off so you can get some rest,” Jughead said in frustration._

_“I can’t Jughead! I have 5 months of shows booked and I’m in the middle of recording an album. I can’t just take time off, I have commitments.”_

_“You are going to burn out and then you won’t be able to do any of it anyway,” he insisted, taking her hands. “Please baby, you need a break. We need a break. Let’s just go home for a couple of weeks.”_

_“I can’t,” she said, pulling her hands away. Jughead gritted his teeth and stepped back._

_“I can’t fucking do this Betty. I’m so sick and tired of all this bullshit. Half our time is spent working on your music and the other half is trying to convince the god damned world that we aren’t cheating on each other. It’s fucking exhausting!”_

_“Who the fuck cares what people think? We know what we are, we know what we have and I don’t care what everyone else thinks,” she said, her chin trembling._

_“I CARE!’ he yelled. “I don’t like people thinking I’m a cheater or that you’re a cheater. I don’t like always having to defend myself or explaining our relationship. I’m not even the famous one here and I feel like I’m in a fucking fishbowl!”_

_“Well, you know what they say, if they aren’t talking about you, they forget about you.”_

_“Jesus Christ Betty, really?”_

_“I know this sucks Jughead but we just have to ride it out until we can take a breath. It won’t be like this forever,” Betty cried tearfully._

_“So how long exactly do you think this will go? 5 years? 10 Years? Sorry but neither of us will survive that ride. I wasn’t built for this shit.” Jughead went over to the bar and grabbed a bottle of scotch and poured himself a glass, taking a drink before continuing. “I’m tired Betty. I just want us back.” Betty walked over and took his face in her hands._

_“Hey, we are us,” she insisted. “We’re here, together. This is us. There is nobody here but us.”_

_“Yeah, and we’re fighting. We’re always fighting,” Jughead said, his eyes tired and sad. “I just need a break from all this,” he said, pulling away and wandering over to the window. He looked out over the city and almost laughed. The most romantic city in the world and they didn’t even have a minute to enjoy it. “Do you know I haven’t written in months? I honestly don’t even know where my fucking laptop is.”_

_“It’s in our apartment,” Betty said softly._

_“In New York. Our beautiful apartment in New York that we only get to see about every other month,” Jughead said with a laugh. “I never used to go anywhere without that laptop and now it’s just sitting there, in a place I’m never at.”_

_“Maybe you should go home,” Betty said softly, her eyes on the floor._

_“What?”_

_“Maybe you should go home and take a break,” she said again, lifting her tear filled eyes to his. He shook his head and frowned at her._

_“I’m not leaving you,” he said firmly._

_“Do you think that I don’t see what this is all doing to you Jughead? Yes, you are taking care of me, and I’m so so grateful for that, but I haven’t heard you laugh in weeks,” she said sadly. “You rarely smile and yes, I’ve noticed you aren’t writing. I don’t want you to stand in my shadow Jughead, I don’t want you following me all over the world and forgetting about your own dreams. You have been so amazing and I don’t think I could have done any of this without you but I can’t be the reason that you don’t get to do what you’ve always dreamed of doing. Writing, being published. You deserve more than this Juggie and I can’t let you do this anymore.”_

_“Betty, all we need to do is take a small break and reboot. We’re both exhausted and we just need a minute,” he said, his eyes filling with tears. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”_

_“I can’t take a break Juggie, but you can and I want you to.”_

_“Betty….”_

_“Jughead please,” she whispered, tears running down her face. “Please. I don’t want to be the reason that you are miserable. I refuse to be. You need to go home. Take a break.” Jughead stared at her, shaking his head. “Please,” she pleaded. “I hate seeing you like this. My heart can’t bear it anymore.”_

_“Betty, we can…”_

_“No, going on a small vacation isn’t going to fix this Jughead. Sure we’ll come back a bit refreshed, but it will still be the same thing all over again. While I’m at the top of charts, my life isn’t going to slow down,” she informed him._

_“So what are you saying,” he asked hoarsely._

_“I just need you to go home Juggie. I won’t let you do this anymore. You will not give up your dreams for me.”_

_“No,” he whispered, taking her face, his forehead on hers. “No, you’re not pushing me away. I am not leaving you Betty.”_

_“You have to,” she cried, his tears falling on her face and mixing with hers. “Just – just take a break.”_

_“How long?” he asked, his voice breaking. Betty touched his face, wiping his tears, hers falling steadily._

_“As long as it takes,” she whispered sadly._

_“No, no, no…” he whispered as he kissed her, his hands cupping her face, his mouth moving over hers desperately. Betty kissed him back, gripping his hair, tasting their tears on her lips as she whimpered into his mouth. His hands moved under her shirt and she lifted herself and wrapped her legs around him._

_“Please,” she whispered. Jughead carried her to the bed and came down on top of her. “I love you,” she whimpered. “I love you so much.”_

_“I love you more than life,” he whispered back. Then he made love to her with a desperation that had her sobbing as he brought her release again and again, marking her, burning himself in her heart and soul. He had left the following morning, only stopping in New York to get his laptop and some of his things and had gone home to Riverdale._

 

That had been a year ago and today had been the first time she had seen him in person since. They had sent texts, the occasional phone call and a couple of video chats, but eventually it had all stopped. She had noticed after just a few weeks that he was happier and doing better and she refused to let him come back and fall back into the same pit. He hadn’t put up much of a fight, not really wanting that lifestyle back again. Two months after he had left Paris, as much as they loved each other, they ended it for real and it had been the last time she had spoken to him. 

Everyone had noticed he wasn’t around after he left Paris and of course the rumors swirled, and when she had released a statement that they had broken up two months later, she was shocked at how fans had turned on both of them. Half of them said he had cheated and didn’t deserve her and half of them had decided she had cheated and she didn’t deserve him. Funny enough, even after they broke up, they were both still dragged through the mud, the only difference was, Jughead could easily ignore it and stay away from it, she couldn’t.

Her career didn’t suffer though, and she still had chart topping hits and she still jet setted all over the world. She just did it without him by her side. Betty got off the bed and went to sit on the window seat. She wiped the tears off her face and leaned her head on the glass. As successful as her year had been, it wasn’t the same. She had missed him every single day and had to force herself to not call or text him when something exciting happened. She still wanted to share everything with him and it killed her that he wasn’t with her.  
He had looked so good earlier. It had taken every ounce of her will power to not grab his face and kiss the breath right out of him. She had missed seeing him like that. Relaxed, happy, peaceful. Jughead was still as gorgeous as he had always been and she still wanted him. She closed her eyes and sighed. Almost more than she ever had. Her crew tried to convince her to start dating, find someone in the industry, it would be good for her career but nobody compared to him. Nobody got her like he did. Nobody understood her like he did. There was nobody like him and she missed him, with every breath she took. Betty reached for her notepad and a pen and started to write.

 

Jughead let himself into his apartment and dropped down on the couch and leaned his head back. He dragged his hands over his face and let out a sigh. Fuck. She had looked so fucking good, like she always did.

God, he had missed her. When they had officially ended it, he would still get texts and messages from some of her crew that he was friends with; them always reassuring him that the rumors of people she was dating weren’t true and that they were friends and pretty much trying to reassure him that she wasn’t moving on so quickly. While he appreciated their efforts, he had asked them to stop. Betty was free to do what she wanted. He knew Betty and he knew she wasn’t going to just move on right away, but over time, he figured she would.

He had fallen back into his old life quickly and gotten back to writing and as much as he missed her, he didn’t miss the life that surrounded her. He didn’t think he would have been able to survive it and as much as it had killed him when she had told him to go home, she had done the right thing. It had kept them from beginning to hate each other. He knew eventually one or both of them would have started to believe the shit they kept hearing. Men threw themselves at her all the time and he had hated it and his jealousy over it had gotten him into fights at numerous parties and Betty had slapped her share of women trying to get close to him. The constant battle ate away at them and Jughead knew they had parted ways just in time. Being apart and still friends was better than turning on each other in the long run. He hoped that wouldn’t have happened, but he was glad they never got a chance to find out.

The rumors, of course, and speculations of their breakup had been as vicious as always and it infuriated him. Mostly because he couldn’t protect her, but he knew she could hold her own. Even though they were apart, Jughead still kept tabs on her. He was still so incredibly proud of her and loved hearing all her successes. Seeing her photographed with supposed new suitors always stung but he couldn’t help himself. He followed her every move and news article and update there was on her. He was basically her social media stalker.

Jughead stood up and got himself a beer. He took a long swig before walking over to the window, staring outside. His life was pretty normal now that he was back home. He was writing and had a publishing firm wanting to publish his book and his life was pretty good. Except that Betty wasn’t in it. It was strange without her, as she had always been around and he had figured she always would be around. They had fallen in love when they were 15/16 and he had always thought they would grow old together, that’s how much they loved each other. They had had a lot of ups and downs in the first couple years they were together but they had made it and God, they had been so in love.

Jughead leaned his head against the window and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and reached into his pocket for his phone. He had been fighting for almost a year, every single day to not send her a text or comment on her social media pages and now, with her beautiful face burned into his memory from earlier, he just didn’t care. He needed to reach out, if only for a few texts. Maybe they could get to a place where they could talk and still remain friends without all the baggage of their past. He would even be happy with that, as long as he got to talk to her. He missed talking to her. He missed her so fucking much. He sighed. He really was a glutton for punishment he thought as he opened his messaging app and sent her a text.

 

Betty was sitting at the table, stirring honey into her cup of tea and smiled at her sisters twins, playing on the floor with lego. They were 6 years old already and her heart ached that she had rarely seen them in the last three years. 

“They are so sweet,” she said softly as she sipped her tea. 

“I’m really glad you were able to come home while I was here. I’ve missed you,” Polly said with a smile. “How are things? Not in the work or celebrity sense, but are you doing okay?”

“I’m okay,” Betty said quietly with a shrug. Polly reached over and took her hand.

“You miss him, don’t you.”

“Sometimes….”

“Look, Betty…”

“Can we not? Please? I’m fine Polly.” Her sister sighed and got up and went to her kids. Alice was standing by the counter and came to sit, watching the kids with Betty. 

“He comes over for dinner once a month,” she said casually. Betty put down her cup and looked at her.

“What?” she whispered.

“It’s nice, when he does. He tells us everything he knows about what’s coming up for you and what you’ve been doing cause we don’t really see all that stuff unless you tell us. Your father and I aren’t much into the gossip and fan sites. He keeps tabs on you and lets us know things.”

“Why would he do that?”

“Because he loves you. He always has and he always will.”

“He should move on with his life,” she whispered again, a tear slipping down her cheek.

“Like you have?” Alice asked gently.

“Mom,” Betty sobbed out brokenly. Alice rose up quickly and wrapped her arms around the sobbing young woman. 

“Is it worth this, Betty?” she asked in a whisper, her own eyes filling with tears. “You two love each other, I don’t think that will ever go away.” Betty let out a laugh at how much her mother had changed over the years. She hadn’t been a fan of Jughead in the beginning but once the craziness in Riverdale had settled, she had welcomed and loved him. She pulled back and wiped her eyes.

“Jughead doesn’t belong in that life mom, he never did.”

“Do you belong in that life Betty?” she asked quietly. Betty said nothing and went back to sipping her tea. Her phone suddenly dinged and she pulled it out and glanced at the screen, her heart racing.

**J: It was really great seeing you again, Betts. I promise I’ll be watching the Billboards and cheering you on. xx**

Betty felt her heart warm at message and the ‘xx’ at the end. She smiled and sent a reply.

_B: It was good to see you too, Juggie. Thank you for watching and supporting me still. I hope you enjoy the performance. xx_

**J: I always do :)**

_B: :)_

“Well, there’s only one person who can make you smile like that,” Alice said knowingly. Betty ignored her and got up from the table and went to her room.

 **J: When are you heading back to New York?**

_B: Tomorrow morning._

**J: Do you maybe want to go for a drink later? Just to catch up?**

Betty looked at the message and she wanted to say yes so badly. What harm would it do? Her fingers trembled and she took a shaky breath. She wanted to, so badly but she just couldn’t deal with the emotions that would come with it.

_B: I’m sorry, Jug, I can’t. It’s not a good idea :(_

**J: No problem.**

_B: I’m sorry._

**J: It’s ok Betts, I get it. Maybe some other time.**

_B: Maybe..._

Jughead didn’t reply again and Betty sighed and lay back on the bed. She should have never come back here.

 

“What do you mean you want to sing a different song?” Brianna asked Betty as they stood in her apartment in New York. It was two weeks until the Billboards and she had just told her managers that she wanted to sing a song she had written. 

“Betty, you can’t change your song choice 2 weeks before the performance!” John, one of her managers insisted. “We have put weeks into this performance. The stage, the dancers, the outfit. Do you have any idea how much money has gone into this?! We don’t have time to work out another idea!”

“We don’t need time. I just want to sing the song I wrote with a piano. That’s all. A simple acoustic performance.” 

“We don’t do acoustic! You’ll do your new single off the new album,” he said firmly. Betty clenched her fists, her anger building.

“No!” She insisted loudly. “I have done what you have wanted for three fucking years and I haven’t complained about it once. Not one time!! I have spent 3 years doing exactly what you wanted at the expense of almost everything normal in my life, hardly ever seeing my family, my friends, even at the expense of my god damned relationship! You owe me this and if you won’t let me sing the song I want to sing, then I am just going to back out of the event and you can just deal with the fallout! Now, get me a fucking piano and a god damned PIANIST!!!!” Betty finished in a furious scream. Her managers stared at her in shock.

“What the hell is wrong with you lately, Betty?” Brianna asked. “Do you need a joint? Calm down your gears?”

“No I don’t want a fucking joint! When have I ever taken you up on that stupid offer?” Betty yelled.

“Okay, okay, relax. This, this is why you need a fucking joint. You’re starting to lose your shit. We’ll get you a pianist. Jesus Christ.” They turned and walked away, not seeming to care that Betty heard their conversation.

“Wow,” Brianna said with a laugh. “I figured she’d snap at the five year mark, not at three.”

“You owe me $50,” John laughed. “I knew she wouldn’t be able to handle it for the long run.”

Betty sat down on the couch, tears pooling in her eyes. She suddenly realized these people didn’t give a shit about her. All they cared about was the money she made them. She was completely alone, surrounded by strangers who cared nothing about her. She had left her family and friends, ended her relationship with the only person she would ever love and for what? For absolutely nothing. Betty wiped at the tears on her face and stood up. This coming performance was supposed to be the launch point of her new album and she couldn’t bring herself to care in the least. She knew what she wanted to sing and why she wanted to sing it and to hell with what everyone else thought. She was done playing by the rules. It was time to take her life back.

 

“Jughead, hi.”

He turned and smiled at Alice as she approached him at Pop’s.

“Hi Mrs. Cooper. How are you?”

“I’m doing really well, Jughead. How are you?”

“I can’t really complain,” Jughead said with a smile.

“Will you be watching Betty perform tomorrow?” she asked.

“I never miss it,” he said softly. Alice studied him and smiled gently.

“Did you maybe want to come and watch them with us? Polly is in town again and she’s invited Archie and Veronica over as well. We’re making a little party out of it. It would be lovely to have you.” Jughead swallowed, thinking about it. He usually liked to be alone when he watched her television appearances. More times than not, he was loathe to admit, he teared up when he saw her sing. 

“You know, yeah, I think I will. Why the hell not?” he said with a laugh.

“Okay, great. Be there around 6:30?” Jughead nodded and she gave him a kiss on the cheek and left. He sighed and seated himself at the counter. It was time he stopped hiding away and feeling sorry for himself every time she was on TV. Maybe he just needed to let it all go and move on.

 

Betty stood backstage and watched as they got the stage ready for her performance. She was terrified. All the shows and concerts she had done, with her full band and dancers and what not, and now, here she was, terrified of her little acoustic performance. She was about to put herself out there, be as vulnerable as she had ever been and just lay it all out. She was scared because she didn’t know how it would be received but she needed to do this. She needed to say what she felt and get control back. Brianna stood and fussed with her hair and gown and made sure everything was perfect.

“Well, I still don’t understand what this is all about and why you are doing it, but you look fucking amazing Betty and you’re going to kill it. Just like you always do. So, get in place and knock ‘em dead. This song is going to go straight to number one, I can feel it.” Betty said nothing and just nodded. She didn’t care if it went straight to number one. She hadn’t written it for that and she wasn’t performing it for these people. There was only one person who she hoped was watching. Betty touched the delicate pendent on the simple silver chain she wore around her neck. This was for him.

 

“I think she’s next!” Polly said in excitement as they all sat in the Cooper’s residence. Jughead settled back in the chair and took a swig of his beer. His heart was racing already and he did his best to act like he was calm and casual. The social media pages claimed she wasn’t doing what she usually did and he wondered at it. The commercial break ended and the awards were back on and two singers he didn’t recognize came out to introduce her.

“And now, for the performance we’ve all been waiting for, singing a new, not yet recorded song that she wrote, accompanied by only the piano, here is the sensational Betty Cooper.”  


Jughead furrowed his brow curiously. Betty wasn’t one to go unplugged and acoustic and she usually would never perform something that wasn’t on an album. After the screaming of the crowd took over, the wall slowly lifted and Jughead lost his breath.

“Oh my god, she looks amazing,” Veronica whispered as the lights hit Betty. She stood alone, next to a piano and its player, wearing a white gown that seemed to flow down her body, pooling all around her on the stage, looking like she was standing on a cloud. Her hair was down, floating around her in a golden wave and her makeup was simple and natural. She wasn't made up and glitzy, she was as unplugged as the single piano next to her. She was the Betty he remembered. Simple, flawless, beautiful. The music started to play and she slowly lifted her mic and started to sing.

_It took me by surprise_  
When I saw you standing there  
Close enough to touch  
Breathing the same air  
You asked me how I've been  
I guess that's when I smiled and said just fine,  
Oh but baby, I was lying 

Jughead went still, his heart hammering in his chest, his mind racing back two months when he had met her on the street. He had asked how she had been. She had said ‘just fine’.

_What I really meant to say_  
Is I'm dying here inside  
And I miss you more each day,  
There's not a night I haven't cried  
And baby here's the truth  
I'm still in love with you,  
That's what I really meant to say 

Jughead leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, his hands pressed together in front of him. She was still in love with him. She was singing to him. The camera zoomed in and he let out a breath as his eyes settled on the pendent nestled against her skin above the neckline of her gown. It was a delicate silver crown. When only her face was in the camera’s eye, her eyes lifted and stared straight into it and right into his heart.

_And as you walked away_  
The echo of my words  
Cut just like a knife  
Cut so deep it hurt  
I held back the tears  
Held onto my pride  
And watched you go  
I wonder if you'll ever know 

It was completely silent in the Cooper house, every eye glued to the TV. Betty’s eyes were filling with tears and the camera didn’t move. Jughead felt his eyes start to sting.

_What I really meant to say_  
Is I'm dying here inside  
And I miss you more each day  
There's not a night I haven't cried  
And baby here's the truth  
I'm still in love with you 

The tears were beginning to roll down Betty’s cheeks and the camera panned the audience, people sat enraptured, some with tears of their own as they watched the young woman sing her agony for all the world to see. She never wavered, despite the tears. 

_What I really meant to say_  
Is I'm really not that strong  
No matter how I try  
I'm still holdin' on  
And here's the honest truth  
I'm still in love with you  
Yeah, that's what I really meant to say  
That's what I really meant to say  
That's what I really meant to say. 

She finished the song, her voice dropping to a broken whisper on the last line. Betty lowered the mic, her face lined with tears as the camera panned back and the lights slowly went down, shrouding her in darkness. For a moment there was complete silence in the audience and then the cheers erupted and Betty Cooper got a glorious standing ovation. In the Cooper residence, it was completely silent and every single head turned and looked at Jughead. He was still staring at the TV which had gone to commercial. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone and dialed a number. Alice watched curiously as he waited for an answer.

“Hello,” he said finally. “I’d like the next flight to New York please.”

Alice Cooper smiled and took a sip of her wine. 

 

It was 1:00am when Jughead landed in New York. He had been browsing social media and already the questions were flying. Who was the song about? Obviously it was about Jughead Jones, the love of her life. Were they back together? Has he been spotted anywhere? 

Betty wasn’t at any of the after parties. It was like she had disappeared after the awards. He took a cab to their apartment. He knew she still lived there and he didn’t bother letting her know he was coming. He just prayed that she was there. 

When he got there he paid the driver and got out, looking up at the high rise he used to call home. He pulled open the door and walked into the foyer. It was a secure building and nobody got past the security post without being on the list. He smiled when he saw Carson behind the desk. He lifted his hand in greeting and Carson grinned in surprise and immediately buzzed him through the glass door. 

“Jughead,” he exclaimed getting up from behind his post. “It’s so good to see you again.” He came around the counter and actually embraced him.

“Hey Carson. She home? ”

“Yeah, she is and was looking a little worse for wear when she showed up. If I’ll be honest, she hasn’t looked happy in a long time.” Jughead swallowed and nodded.

“She alone?”

“Yes, came alone and nobody followed her.”

“Listen, how long is your shift?” Jughead asked.

“I started at midnight, I’ll be here till noon.”

“Make sure nobody comes up, okay? No managers, agents, or assistants. Got it? Nobody gets up to the apartment.”

“Got it Jug.”

“Let the next shift know as well. Text my phone if you need to reach me if anyone gives you trouble, but nobody gets in. Understand?”

“Understood!” Jughead nodded his thanks and headed for the elevator. “Jughead?” he turned back to Carson.

“I’m really glad you’re back,” he said with a smile. Jughead just smiled back and continued on. He punched in the code for the penthouse and rode the elevator up, his heart pounding.

He stepped off the elevator when it came to a stop and even though her apartment was the only one on this floor, there was still a small entry way with a door you had to get through. He took a deep breath and pressed the buzzer. It took 5 minutes and 7 pushes of the buzzer before he heard the locks being opened. The door opened and there she stood. The Betty he remembered and loved. Her face scrubbed clean, her cried out eyes red rimmed and wide in shock, dressed in pajama pants and his old tshirt. She had never looked more beautiful.

“Jughead?” she gasped in shock. 

Betty stared at him, her heart hammering so hard, she thought she was going to have a heart attack. She tried to say something else but all that came out was a sob and then she was in his arms. His arms, strong and warm that she had missed so much. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hung on for dear life, sobbing into his neck. 

“Shhhhh, it’s okay baby, don’t cry,” Jughead whispered against her ear. 

“I don’t want to do this anymore, Jug,” she sobbed against his neck. “I don’t want to do this without you.” Jughead kicked the door closed and lifted her tighter against him, one arm wrapped tightly around her and the other hand buried in her hair. He breathed in her scent, his heart hammering, his eyes filling with his own tears. He had missed her so fucking much.

“I’m here,” he whispered. “I’m here.” He pressed kisses to her hair, her temple, her forehead, her cheeks. He brushed her mouth with his, and she whimpered through her tears. Jughead took her face in his hands and kissed her with a yearning and desperation that she felt in her soul. She kissed him back eagerly, pressing herself against him, the memory of him suddenly a beautiful reality. His mouth left hers and trailed kisses over her jaw and neck and she gasped and whimpered, wondering if he was real.

“I love you,” she whispered, pulling his face back to hers, her mouth brushing his in soft eager kisses. “I love you, I have always loved you.” Jughead rested his forehead on hers, his breathing heavy, his thumbs wiping her tears.

“I love you too,” he said softly.

“Did you hear me sing,” she asked, her voice shaking, her hands clinging to the hair at the back of his neck.

“Yes,” he whispered.

“I wrote it for you, Juggie.”

“I know, baby.”

“I should have told you in Riverdale,” Betty cried, fresh tears falling from her eyes. “I should have told you that I missed you and that I loved you.”

“It’s okay, Betts,” he assured her, brushing the hair off her face.

“No, it’s not. I was so happy when I saw you and so incredibly sad. I wanted so much to stay in your arms, to hold you and kiss you and when you walked away, I felt like I was losing you all over again and that doesn’t make sense, right? Cause you weren’t even mine then.”

“I have always been yours Betty,” Jughead whispered. “Always.” He kissed her again and his arms pulled her against him, his tongue sliding in her mouth to stroke against hers and she moaned, her hands pushing at his jacket until it fell to the floor. Jughead pulled back and cupped her face again. “Sweetheart, you need to sleep, this can wait,” he said softly. She shook her head and pulled him down for another kiss. 

“I need you,” she whimpered. “I have missed you so much. Your arms, your kiss, the way you touch me.” He groaned against her mouth as her hands started on the buttons of his shirt. “I haven’t been with anyone Juggie,” she whispered. “No matter what the gossip was, nobody has touched me but you.” She ran her hands over the smooth familiar skin of his chest and stomach. The lines and planes she knew so well. She held his gaze, her body aching at the dark need in his. “Nobody has touched me but you,” she whispered again.

“I haven’t touched anyone else either,” he said gruffly, his hands moving over her, his mouth brushing over hers. She pushed his shirt off his shoulders and he shrugged out of it and then bent and picked her up in his arms, his mouth moving over hers as he carried her to the bedroom. 

“How did you get here,” she breathed, her mouth moving over his jaw line. “Please tell me I’m not dreaming.”

“You’re not dreaming,” Jughead reassured her, setting her down on the bed and coming down over her. “I watched you sing, I felt your words, your love and I needed to be with you,” he murmured, his mouth kissing down her neck. “God, I’ve missed you, your mouth, your kiss, your giggles, your smiles.” Betty whimpered as his hands moved under her shirt and gently cupped her breasts. He ran his thumbs over the peaks and groaned when they pebbled for him. He was settled between her legs and she pressed up against him, feeling him hard against her core. Betty grabbed her shirt and pulled it over her head, desperate to feel his mouth on her. His tongue ran over her skin, between her breasts, licking along the crease underneath the soft mound. Betty whimpered, her hand clenching in his hair. He heard the breathy sob escape her mouth and lifted his head and saw her eyes swimming with tears and fear.

“Are you okay?” he asked gently, his fingers touching her cheek.

“I’m so fucking scared this isn’t real,” she said, her chin quivering. “I’ve been in such a daze of loneliness the last few months and I’ve had some very vivid dreams of you and when I’d wake and you weren’t actually here…” her voice cut off on a sob. 

“God, Betty,” he said hoarsely. “I wish you had called me, or text me. I’m so sorry.”

“I wanted you to move on with your life,” she said while she hiccupped. 

“Don’t you know yet Betts,” Jughead asked in surprise. “You are my life. I couldn’t move on no matter what I did. I’ve spent the last year following every move you made. Your face was the first thing I looked at when I woke and the last thing I looked at before sleep. I’m here love, I promise you. This isn’t a dream. Let me show you,” he whispered, lowering his head and pressing soft kisses to her skin. She was still wearing the crown necklace and he traced it with his fingers. “I saw this when you were singing.”

“I meant you to,” she whispered.

“I love you,” he whispered against her skin, his mouth moving to brush over her nipple. She moaned and arched her back. It had been so long. Her body ached and trembled with need. He licked his tongue over it and she shuddered and let out a ragged groan as he fastened his mouth over her and suckled gently. He released her and moved to the other side, his tongue swirling around the nipple before fastening his mouth over it. 

“Jug, please,” she pleaded. “I need you to touch me.” Jughead moved his hand down her side to her hip, gripping her before hooking his fingers in the waist band of her pajamas and tugging them down. He tossed them aside and ran his hand up her leg, trailing his fingers across the waist band of her panties. Her hips moved, trying to get his hand where she wanted it. She grabbed his wrist and moved his hand lower.

Jughead lifted his head and stared down into her eyes, watching them widen as he slipped his hand into her panties and brushed his fingers over her. Her legs fell apart and she lifted her hips, wanting more and he pressed deeper into her folds, groaning when he found her wet and warm. He touched his thumb to her clit which was already swollen with need, and slid a finger inside her. She pulled him down for a kiss, sliding her tongue into his mouth as his slid his finger slowly in and out, his thumb circling gently. Jughead rubbed his tongue against hers, groaning into her mouth when she suddenly, without warning fell apart. She wrenched her mouth away and cried out, her body clamping down on his finger. He moved then, pulling his hand away and ridding her of her panties. He settled between her legs, his hands pushing her thighs apart, looking down at her. She was glistening, her release covering her and he leaned down and licked into her and she bucked against his mouth, her hand fisting in his hair.

“Jug…” she moaned as he pressed his tongue inside her before bringing it up to swirl around her clit. He slid two fingers in and moved them slowly while he flicked over her, biting gently, licking, sucking and soon she was shaking with another orgasm, her breath coming in gasps.

Jughead suckled on her, not wanting to stop, her taste flooding his senses. Just like he remembered. All those nights alone when all he could think about was touching her, tasting her, pressing inside her. His pants were painfully tight and he lifted up and his hands moved to his belt and button while she watched him through hooded, desire glazed eyes. He quickly shed his jeans and boxers and settled over her, brushing his arousal over her folds, groaning as the silky wetness covered him.

“Please,” she begged, her arms coming around him, pulling him close. He slowly slid inside her and she was so hot and tight he had to grit his teeth to keep from spilling right then. He stilled when she winced slightly and eased forward more gently. 

“Are you okay?” he whispered once he was buried to the hilt.

“Yes, it’s just been a while,” she breathed. “I’ve missed this, you inside me, the way you feel,” she whimpered, her hips starting to move against him. Jughead rested his forehead against hers and took a breath. He eased back and thrust forward again, groaning at the feel of her.

“You have no idea how much I have missed this,” he groaned. He smoothed her hair back as he moved slowly inside her, his thumb catching a tear that slid toward her hair. “I love you, more than life.” Betty chin started to tremble as she remembered the night in Paris when she had told him to go home. He had said those same words to her. He had left and now he was here, in her arms, inside her, whispering again and she started to cry. “Shhhhhh,” he whispered against her mouth, his body still moving slowly. 

“The last time you said that….”

“Shhhhh,” he breathed again. “I love you.” Betty wrapped her legs around him and strained against him as his mouth settled hungrily over hers. She pulled her legs back and he slid in deeper, his groan getting lost in her mouth. 

“I love you,” she moaned, feeling her body start to unravel. Jughead didn’t take his mouth from hers, drinking her in, his hands moving over her, coming down between them, stroking over her. Betty reached down and took his hand, pulling it away and grabbed his other hand as well. He lifted his mouth from hers and stared down at her. She settled their clenched hands above her head, her eyes locked on his. He moved heavy inside her, and she felt her release uncoil. He watched, the love clear in his eyes as he took her to the edge, his body thrusting into hers, racing toward fulfillment. She sobbed as she fell apart, crying his name, her body clenching tightly on his. Jughead let go and followed her, his orgasm almost violent in strength, her body pulling everything from him and his head fell to her shoulder, his gasps and groans mixed with hers, his body shuddering as he thrust and jerked against her.

“Fuck,” he all but whimpered against her ear. “Betty,” he whispered her name, his hands tightly squeezing hers. His mouth clinging to hers, their breath mingling. 

“I love you,” she said again against his lips, her nails digging into his skin. Jughead fell against her, his mouth still not leaving hers. He kept kissing her as their bodies relaxed, not moving away from her. They lay quietly for a while, his body still inside of hers, not wanting to part. He felt her mouth whispering across his, moving to his jaw, leaving a trail of fire as she nipped at his skin. Jughead lifted his head in surprise when he felt her roll her body against his, her foot dragging up his leg and curling around his hips, pressing him closer. Her hands moved down his back and around his sides, her nails trailing lightly up his stomach and over her chest. Jughead hooked his arms under hers, his hand cupping her head, his thumbs brushing across her cheeks. He watched her as she moved subtly against him, her eyes still filled with need.

“Again,” she whispered. He was starved for her, having not had her in a year and his body responded without any coaxing. He started to move, holding her gaze. It was lazy and slow and took a while but they just held onto each other, their eyes locked together, their bodies moving into each other. After long moments her eyes fluttered closed and he kissed her again and moved quicker and she fell apart, again without his hand between them and he followed her, their bodies exhausted and sated, managing only breathless groans as they floated in a haze of ecstasy. They fell asleep locked together, both of them too exhausted to move apart.

 

Jughead woke around 5:00 in the morning and found Betty watching him. She still looked exhausted and her eyes were red and puffy from all the crying she had done. He rolled to the side and held her close, brushing her hair back.

“Hey,” he said softly. “Are you okay?”

“I’m tired, Juggie,” she whispered. 

“Go back to sleep,” he whispered back. “You need rest.” She shook her head and he furrowed his brow.

“I want you to take me home,” she said, her voice sad and pleading.

“We are home.”

“Home, to Riverdale.”

“You don’t have anything in your schedule coming up?” Jughead asked.

“I don’t care,” she whispered. “I just want to go home,” she cried, tears welling again. He sighed and pulled her close.

“We’ll go home,” he promised, rubbing her back. “Please try to sleep.”

“You’ll be here when I wake?” 

“I promise.” Betty fell asleep almost immediately and he gently slipped out of bed and walked around the apartment and unplugged every phone in the place. He found her cell on the kitchen counter and saw there was already over 50 notifications and messages on it. He turned it off and threw it in a drawer. He left his on in case the security desk needed him but he had given everyone at home instructions to not contact him for at least 2 days. He put the phone on the counter and went back to the bedroom and climbed back in bed with her.

 

It was 1:00 in the afternoon when Betty stirred. Her eyes fluttered open and she lay there for a moment, unsure of what was happening. Why was it so bright? Everything suddenly came back to her and she gasped. Jughead. She turned her head and he wasn’t beside her. She felt panic race through her, thinking she had once again dreamed him. She sat up and looked around and then she saw his boots and bag sitting on the floor. She heard the shower running and sighed in relief. She noticed the time and frowned. She never slept this late. They never let her sleep this late. She figured Jughead probably had intervened.

Betty got out of bed and walked to the washroom and pushed the door open. He was standing under the shower spray, his hands pressed to the tile in front of him and his head hanging down while he let the water hit the back of his neck. He lifted his head and rolled it around, stretching his neck when he caught sight of her. His smile made her heart race. 

“Would you like to join me?” he asked softly. She nodded and walked over and he opened the glass door and she stepped in with him. It was a huge shower. They could have fit 15 more people in with them but they hardly took up any space at all as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. They shared lazy kisses that slowly turned heated, and she felt him grow against her stomach. Betty let her mouth trail down his neck and over his chest as she slowly moved lower.

“Betts, you don’t…” Jughead said gruffly as she dropped to her knees in front of him. She looked at him, long and thick and it thrilled her that she was the only who had ever seen or had him like this. She was the only one who had ever had her mouth on him. She leaned forward and touched her tongue to him and he jerked slightly. “Shit,” he muttered. Betty smiled and wrapped her lips around him and slid her mouth over him. 

Jughead looked down and groaned, watching her work him and his hand fisted in her hair. He had forgotten how good she was at that, how good she felt wrapped around him like that. He felt like he was dreaming, only 24 hours ago missing her and wondering if he should move on with his life and now he was in front of her while she worshiped him with her mouth. She wrapped her hand around his base and did that thing with her tongue that he loved so much and he stiffened and came in her mouth, his hips bucking forward, his groan echoing around the shower. She kissed her way up his body, her arms wrapping around his neck as she clung to him.

“Thank you,” he whispered against her ear. “That felt amazing.” She smiled and kissed his cheek.

“I’ll let your recover for a bit and we’ll get right back at it,” she promised. Jughead chuckled against her ear. “We have a year to make up for.”

“I want you to rest some more today,” he said, grabbing a cloth and soaping it up. He washed her gently and she stood watching him, wondering how she had managed a year without him and told him as much. “You’re strong Betty; stronger than you realize and you can do pretty much anything you put your mind to.”

“Are we back together Juggie?” she asked suddenly, her eyes searching his, the anxiety and fear in them palpable. 

“We were ever apart?” he asked with a gentle smile.

“Yes, and it was awful,” she said sadly. Jughead took her hand and placed it over his heart. 

“Our hearts were never apart and they never will be.”

“Did you hate me Juggie? When I told you to go home?” she asked in a small voice.

“God, no Betts. I could never hate you. As much as it hurt, I think we made the right decision. I hated leaving you so fucking much and I’ll be man enough to admit, I cried a lot, but I was drowning Betts and I didn’t know what to do. I watched as everything around us was starting to fall apart and I couldn’t seem to hold on, I couldn’t breathe and you saw that and you did what you thought was best. I couldn’t handle that lifestyle, you were always so much better at it than I was and I felt like a failure for not being able to keep it together.” 

“Jug, no, don’t say that. You were never a failure,” Betty said, her eyes filling with tears. “I never thought that. Not ever.”

“It will be different now. I won’t let this happen again. I’m going to be there Betts, right till the end. I took the year to regroup and I can handle this better now.”

“I meant what I said, Jughead. I want to go home,” Betty said softly. “I don’t want this anymore if I’m not with you. Everyone says this has been the most exciting year and so much happened but I didn’t get to share any of it with you and I just didn’t care about any of it. I love you Jughead and if I have to give it all up to be with you then I will.”

“Betty, you don’t have to give anything up,” Jughead said, pulling her close after she rinsed the soap off herself. “You are so good at what you do, I would never ask you to give it up. I’m with you, I won’t let you down again.”

“You didn’t let me down Juggie. I think I let you down,” she said against his chest, her arms wrapped around him. “I should have listened to you and taken a break. You were right about all of it. I need a break and I want you to take me home, for as long as it takes. If it tanks my career, then so be it. I have more money already than I know what to do with and I just don’t care. None of these people are my friends Jughead. They don’t care about me and if me needing a break so I don’t collapse has them leaving me behind, then that’s fine.” They got out of the shower and Jughead dried off and wrapped a towel around his waist and then dried her as well and wrapped her in a towel. He held her face and pressed a soft kiss to her mouth.

“Okay,” he said softly. “We’ll go home and whatever happens, happens.” Betty smiled and kissed him again and they left the washroom and he headed to the kitchen. She laughed at the fact that he didn’t bother getting dressed and followed him. 

“You hungry?” he asked, rummaging through the fridge. She watched him. The play of muscle on his back, his strong arms. The lazy way he moved. God she had missed him. He seemed to have gotten better looking and she felt the heat pool between her legs as she watched him fiddle with the coffee maker. “I never could figure this fucking thing out,” he muttered as he pressed buttons. “You hungry?” he asked again, turning to look at her. He went still at the look in her eyes.

“Yes,” she managed to choke out and he knew she wasn’t talking about food. He started to harden beneath the towel and her eyes dropped, her lip pulling between her teeth. He walked over to her and he lifted her, his mouth covering hers, her legs wrapping around his waist. He yanked her towel away and his dropped to the floor and he walked to the couch and sat down with her straddling his lap. Betty bit his lip and tugged while his hands cupped and squeezed her breasts. She pressed her tongue into his mouth and his hand moved down between her legs and he groaned.

“Fuck, you’re wet,” he gasped, grasping her hips and brushing her over his erection. “Take me, Betts. I want to be inside you.” She slid down over him, groaning as he stretched her. “You’re so tight.....shit,” He moaned, his hands digging into her waist. “Fuck me, let me feel you move on me.” Betty rose and fell, taking him deep and hard. His mouth took her nipple and he sucked while she rode him, hard and fast, neither of them caring to take their time. “Holy shit, im not gonna last babe,” he gasped against her nipple. 

He reached between them and stroked her clit, hurrying to get her there with him and her head fell back and a loud moan fell from her lips as she orgasmed, her body tugging on him and he yelled out a curse as he came inside her, thrusting up into her and holding her still as he pumped his release into her. Betty wilted against him as she trembled in the aftermath.

“Jesus, I missed you and your naughtiness,” he growled against her neck. Betty giggled and hugged him close. “And I missed that giggle,” he said softly, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. She lifted her head and smiled at him. He kissed her, slowly and gently. A lazy unhurried kiss that went on for long minutes and when he finally pulled away her smile reached her eyes.

“When can we go home?” she asked softly.

“As soon as you want.”

“Today.”

“You sure?” he asked, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“Yes,” Betty whispered. “I just want out of this place and be somewhere where nobody cares who I am and what I do.”

“Oh I don’t know about Riverdale then, you’re the only famous person we have,” he said, laughing softly.

“Yes, but people there actually care about me.” 

Jughead’s phone suddenly rang and he gently lifted Betty off of him and went to get it, picking up the towels and throwing her one while wrapping one back around himself. 

“Hello?” he answered. It was the security desk.

“I have Betty’s manager down here threatening to call the cops and screaming at me to let her up,” the man said.

“I’ll be right down,” Jughead said and hung up.

“What’s wrong?” Betty asked.

“Don’t worry, okay? Just a problem at the front desk. Why don’t you pack some things and I’ll take care of this,” he asked as he walked to the door.

“Jughead, you’re wearing a towel,” Betty said, her voice bubbling with laughter. He shrugged and left the apartment. She started laughing and headed to her bedroom.

 

Jughead stepped off the elevator and the man at the desk looked at him in surprise. Brianna was standing there, looking like she wanted to murder someone. She saw him and her eyes narrowed.

“Where the fuck is Betty and why can’t I go upstairs and where the fuck are your clothes? And may I also say, wow!” she finished, her eyes raking over him. “I see why she’s so obsessed with you and refused to date. Where is she?”

“She’s resting and you’re not going anywhere near her,” Jughead snapped.

“I’m her manager Jughead and she missed 5 fucking interviews this morning. That isn’t exactly a good thing if you catch my drift. People don’t want a flaky celebrity who skips out on their responsibilities.”

“She’s taking a break and you can just fuck off,” he snapped. He turned back to the security personal. “Get her the fuck out of here,” he demanded and headed back to the elevator.

“You can’t just let her miss her fucking commitments,” the furious woman yelled after him.

“Watch me,” he snapped back as the elevator closed. He found Betty in the bedroom packing some bags. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned into him and smiled. “I love you,” he whispered against her hair. 

“I love you too,” Betty said softly, feeling content and happy for the first time in a year. “I’m almost done here and then we can go. I called the airport, once I figured out I had to plug the phone back in,” she said with a laugh. “and there is a flight out in a couple of hours. First class.”

“Ahhhh perks of being in love with the famous Betty Cooper,” Jughead chuckled against her hair. She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. 

“You were in love with me when I was a nobody,” she said with a smile.

“You were never a ‘nobody’,” he assured her. “You’ve been the queen of my heart since as long as I can remember.” She raised an eyebrow.

“Since we were 16?”

“Oh, it was a little earlier than that,” he admitted with a smile. 

“How much earlier.”

“All my life,” he said softly, his eyes telling her it was true. She kissed him thoroughly and hugged him close.

“I’ll just finish up getting my bathroom things together and we can go. Also, do you know where my cell is?” she asked as she walked in there. Jughead went and got it for her and brought it. He got dressed while she turned it on and he gathered his things. He went back into the bathroom and she stood looking down at it, looking a little shell shocked.

“I don’t even know where to start with this,” she exclaimed, scrolling through dozens of messages and alerts and notifications. The most recent ones were angry texts from her managers, wondering where the hell she was. Betty sighed and looked at Jughead. “What should I do?” she asked with a sigh.

“Your call,” he said quietly, leaning against the door frame. Betty looked at the phone and a small smile graced her lips. She leaned over and dropped the phone in the toilet and closed the lid. “Good girl,” he grinned. She grinned back. 

“Let’s go home,” she said softly.

 

Betty Cooper disappeared from the public eye for over a year. Her managers, publicists and agents all quit and her name stopped coming up in the headlines. While everyone speculated that she had gone into hiding with her former boyfriend, Betty enjoyed a simple life in Riverdale, living in Jughead’s simple apartment, laughing and loving with the man she loved more than anything. Her album released during that time and despite her being MIA, still did well on the charts and fans still held out hope that she would return.

She did eventually return, married and expecting a baby with an acoustic album she had recorded in a small studio in Riverdale. Her husband Jughead as her manager and her best friend Veronica as her publicist. She toured small venues, keeping the performances intimate and personal and relaxed. She did things her way and although she wasn’t the superstar she once had been, she was happy and she was loved by her fans. When her manager/husband turned author, his time in the spotlight began and she watched, more proud of him than she thought possible, as he finally got the recognition he deserved. 

“What’s next,” she asked one morning after he had a small appearance on a morning show. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, his hand caressing gently over her swelling belly.

“Let’s go home,” he suggested softly. She happily agreed.


End file.
